Placket-closer.



PATENIED JAN. 20, 1903.

E. FALKENBERGQ YPLAGKET CLOSER.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 14, 1902 I0 MODEL.

w/ TNESSES) 1 THE cams PEYQR; co, PnoTouwo WAsHINGTON, u c.

NHE TATES PATENT OFFICE.

PLACKET- CLOSER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,751, dated January 2 O, 1903.

I Application filed October 14, 1902. flerial No. 127,258. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMMA FALKENBERG, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Placket-Closer, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to means for closing the vent or placket of ladies dress-skirts, and has for its object to provide a novel, simple, and very convenient device of the character indicated which may be readily secured to the inner surface of the dress at the side edges of the placket and be adapted for an instant closure of the vent-opening by simply pressing the closing device at its side edges, the release of the closing device being effected by an upward pull on an attached flexible connection.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafter described, and defined in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a rear view of a dress-skirt, showing in dotted lines the device applied to the placket of the dress-skirt and in closed adjustment. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the improved placket-closer in closed condition. Fig. 3 is a similar view, but showing the closer in opened condition; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view substantially on the line 4 4 in Fig.2.

In the drawings that represent the construction and application of the invention, 5 5 respectively indicate two buskstrips, which are the body portions of the device. Each husk-strip is preferably formed of resilient sheet metal, having -a proper width and length to adapt them to extend nearly the full length of the vent or placket to which they are to be applied.

A circular-edged joint-leaf 5 is formed on one end of each husk-strip, and these jointleaves that are lapped upon each other are centrally pivoted together, as shown at a in Figs. 2 and 3.

Upon the husk-strip 5, that may with advantage be slightly wider than the strip 5, a latch-bar 6 is slidably held by studs b, that project from the husk-strip 5 and pass loosely through spaced slots 1), formed longitudinally in the latch-bar, each stud having a headed enlargement on its free end that bears slightly upon the latch-bar, whereby the latter is adapted to receive longitudinal adjustment for a distance defined by the length of the slots b. A plurality of latch-hooks 7 are affixed by their flattened shanks upon the latch-bar 6, said hooks projecting laterally and of equal length toward the husk-strip 5. A number of latch-studs 8 equal to the number of latch-hooks 7 project from the buskstrip 5, and these studs are so relatively positioned that they may be engaged by the respective hooks 7.

Upon the lower end of the latch-bar 6 one end of a retractile spring 9 is secured, preferably by engagement at one end with a projecting stud c on a latch-bar, the spring 9 being extended under tension to the pivotstud a, whereon it is affixed, as represented in Figs. 2 and 3.

Upon the busk-strips 5 5 a plurality of guide-fingers 10 are affixed, and said fingers are preferably disposed oppositely in pairs. The guide-fingers 10 are formed of strips of thin resilient sheet metal, and each finger is bent outward at the free end, so that said ends may be readily slid over the busk-strip toward which the fingers extend.

Upon the upper end of the latch-bar 6, which may be perforated to receive it, one end of a flexible connection 11 is secured and thence extends a short length to afford a convenient finger-hold.

A series of small spaced perforations e is formed in each busk-strip 5 5 near the respectiveouter edges of the same, these perforations affording means for sewing the buskstrips upon the fabric of a dress-skirt.

The closing device is attached upon the inner side of the garment A, so that the buskstrips will be positioned at and near the edges of the placket or vent-opening of the skirt, and it will be seen that when the garment is donned the latched engagement of the hooks 7 with the studs 8 will efiect a complete closure of the placket or vent.

To close the device that has been secured upon the garment so that the free ends of the husk-strips 5 5 are uppermost and positioned at or near the waist-line of the skirt, the person donning the skirt may readily reach behind and take hold of the cord 1], pull upon it, and at the same time press the husk-strips toward each other, which will effect a latched engagement of the hooks 7 with the latch studs 8, and thus easily close the placket.

When it is desired to release the hooked engagement of the hooks 7 and studs 8 for the purpose of opening the placket, an upward pull on the cord 11 and a simultaneous lateral movement of the husk-strips 5 5 will open the placket-closer in an obvious manner. It will be seen that the provision of the guide-fingers is advantageous, as they facilit-ate the closure of the husk-strips and insure such an adjustment even when the huskstrips are bent fiatwise, which is liable to occur, owing to the conformation of the person where the skirt and waist meet thereon.

Having described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A placket-closer, comprising two huskstrips lapped and pivoted together at one end, a spring-drawn latch-bar held to slide on one of said husk-strips, a plurality of latch-hooks extended laterally from the latch-bar, studs on the other husk-strip, whereon the books may latch, and means for drawing on the latch-bar for the release of the hooks.

2. A placket-closer, comprising two buskstrips lapped and pivoted together at one end, a latch-bar having spaced slots therein and mounted on one of said brisk-strips, headed studs projected from said buskstrip and loosely engaging the slots in the latch-bar, a spring pulling the latch-bar toward the pivotjoint, a plurality of latch-hooks projected from the latch-barover the other husk-strip, and means for drawing on the latch-bar for the release of the hooks.

3. A placket-closer, comprising two buskstrips lapped and pivoted together at one end, a latch-bar having spaced slots therein and mounted on one of said husk-strips, headed studs projected from said husk-strip and loosely engaging the slots in the latch-bar, a spring pulling the latch-bar toward the pivotjoint, a plurality of latch-hooks projected from the latch-bar over the other husk-strip, paired guide-fingers extended from the bushstrips to have guiding engagement therewith, a coiled spring at one end of the latch-bar, adapted to pull said latch-bar toward the pivot-joint, and a flexible connection at the opposite end of the latch-bar.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EMMA FALKENBERG.

Vitnesses:

WILLIAM H. LEVY, BERTHA FREY. 

